Peter mcmillan



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER MGMILLAN, OF PIERCE CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO LEWIS L. ALLEN, OF SAME PLACE.

ARMOR-PLATE FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,690, dated June 1, 1897. Application tiled July I7, 1896, Serial No. 599,503. (No model.)

T all whom it m07/ cm1/cern.: shown as provided upon each edge and end Be it known that I, PETER MCMILLAN, a with a groove I3, which is open at both ends 55 citizen of the United States, residingat Pierce and which has undercut side walls, asV shown.

City, in the county of Lawrence and State of These plates maybe more or less curved, ac-

Missouri, have invented certain new and usecording tothe character of the work in which ful Improvements in Armor-Plates for Vesthey are to be used. They may be of any resels; and I do hereby declare the followingto quired thickness. 6o be a full, clear, and exact description of the The plates are drawn and held together by invention, such as will enable others skilled the keys O, which are formed with their opro in the art to which it appertains to make and posite walls shaped to conform to the shape use the same. ot' the grooves, it being designed that one key This invention relates to certain new and shall engage in the grooves of the adjacent 65 useful improvements in armor-plates for vesedges or ends of two adjacent plates. As the sels, turrets, and the like; and it has for its keys are driven into place they draw the objects, among other things, to provide a simplates together, and it is preferable that the ple and cheap construction whereby the plates plates be so arranged as to break joints7 as may be securely united, permitting of the shown. 7o lbuilding u p of the required amount with There may be as many thicknesses of these small plates, thereby renderingit much easier plates as may be desired. They may be arthan the handling of heavy plates. I proranged at any desired distance apart and the vide for the setting up of any desired numspace therebetween iilledin with metal scraps ber of plates to give the required thickness, or any other suitable material and the whole setting the different layers any required dis united, if preferred. tance apart, and filling in the space between It has been demonstrated that metal is 2 5 them with any desired or suitable material. preferable to stone or masonry for forts and The plates are formed upon their edges and fortifications, and the ease with which a strucends with dovetail grooves, into which are deture can be built up according to my inven- 8o signed to be engaged correspondiugly-shaped tion will recommend the same for use in such keys, by which they are drawn together and structures.

3o locked. The plates and their keys may be The outer plates may be secured to the inemployed for other purposes-such, for inner or adjacent plates by keys and ways in stance, as bank-vaults, elevators for grain, the same manner that the inner plates are and other iireproof structures. The form of drawn and held together, and the plates of the the grooves may be varied, as may also the different thicknesses or layers are preferably 35 shape of the key employed for locking the arranged so as to break joints. The keyways sections or plates together. and keys may be arranged parallel with each Other objects and advantages of the invenother or at any desired angle. 9o tion will hereinafter appear, and the novel lVhat is claimed as new isfeatures thereof will be Specitically deiined A structure built up of plates with under- 4o by the appended claim. v cut grooves joined together by keys inserted The invention is clearly illustrated in the in the adjacent grooves of the adjacent faces accompanying drawings, which, with the letof the plates, a series of such plates arranged ters of reference marked thereon, form a part at a distance from another such series and a of this specilication, and in whichfilling between the two series, substantially 4 5 Figure l is a perspective view showing sevas specified.

eral plates united in accordance with my in- In testimony whereof I have signed this vent-ion. Eig. 2 is a cross-section through the specification in the presence of two subscribroo same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of ing witnesses. the plates. Fig. l is a similar view of one of 5o the keys. Fig. 5 is a cross-section.

Referring now to the details of the draw- AWitnesses: ings by letter, A designates one of the plates. TNM. II. RHEA, It may be of any desired dimensions and is GEO. IV. BROCE.

PETER MCMILLAN. 

